Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

1 19 0z. can enchilada sauce

1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans

1 1/2 cups  corn kernels

1 7 oz. can diced green chiles

1 2.25 oz. can sliced black olives

1 cup water

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 to 3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, if you love garlic as much as I do)

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot saute the onion in the olive oil over medium heat til soft and golden. Add beans, corn, chiles, olives, sauce, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add garlic and tomatoes, and simmer five minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 273 g

Servings per Recipe: 6

Calories: 473 Calories from Fat: 66

Total Fat: 7.4g, 11% of Daily Value*

Saturated Fat: 1.5g, 7% of Daily Value

Sodium: 274mg, 11% of Daily Value

Total Carbohydrates: 98.9g, 33% of Daily Value

Dietary Fiber: 33.4g, 134% of Daily Value

Sugars 3.2g

Protein 21.7g

Vitamin A 15%	•	Vitamin C 63%
Calcium 49%	•	Iron 162%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Brownies II

These are chewy brownies. My favorite.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar
6 oz. bittersweet or unsweetened baking chocolate

1/2 c cup nondairy butter
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons egg replacer
6 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Grease a  8x8 inch baking pan.

In a saucepan or double boiler, over very low heat, melt chocolate and butter. Add sugars, and allow to cool slightly.

In a mixing bowl, whip egg replacer with 6 tablespoons of water til thick and foamy. Add chocolate mixture, vanilla, salt, and flour, mixing well after each addition.

Spread evenly in the baking pan, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees F, until the top is no longer shiny. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares. 

Pictured below: Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae

Put some vanilla frozen dessert on top of a warm brownie, drizzle with hot fudge sauce, top with whipped topping, and a cherry. Chopped nuts are optional. I used Double Rainbow Vanilla Bean Soy Cream, because there is just nothing better. Also used Santa Cruz Organics Chocolate Syrup, and Soyatoo Whipped Topping.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 78 g
Servings per Recipe: 12

Calories: 313 Calories from Fat: 140
Total Fat: 815.6g, 24% of Daily Value*
Saturated Fat: 5.6g, 28% of Daily Value
Sodium: 271mg, 11% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 45.7g, 15% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 2.8g, 11% of Daily Value
Sugars 28.6g
Protein 3.5g

Vitamin A 10%	•	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 3%	•	Iron 18%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Brownies

These are good if you like cakey brownies. I will have to experiment with gooey ones next.

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
4 teaspoons egg replacer
6 tablespoons water
1 cup nondairy butter
1 tablespoon liquid lecithin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

Grease a  9x13 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

In a separate bowl, cream butter, sugar, lecithin, and vanilla til fluffy. In a smaller bowl, whip egg replacer with 6 tablespoons of water til thick and foamy. Add to sugar and butter mixture and beat til well blended.

Fold in flour mixture, and add water. Mix well. Spread evenly in the baking pan. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees F, until the top is no longer shiny. Brownies are done when the top springs back from being lightly tapped, or a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into squares. 

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 54 g
Servings per Recipe: 24
Calories: 179 Calories from Fat: 72
Total Fat: 8.0g, 12% of Daily Value*
Saturated Fat: 1.5g, 7% of Daily Value
Sodium: 187mg, 8% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 26.8g, 9% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 1.2g, 5% of Daily Value
Sugars 16.8g
Protein 1.7g

Vitamin A 7%	•	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 2%	•	Iron 5%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Halvah

This is not like the halvah I bought at the store. I think I like it even better though.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup rose water*
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cup tahini
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
powdered sugar

Soak the shelled pistachios in water for ten minutes to soften the skins for easy removal, then chop.

In a medium sauce pan, combine sugar, rosewater, and lemon juice and stir. Insert a candy thermometer, turn the heat on medium and heat the mixture until it boils and the temperature reaches 240 degrees. Turn the heat off and cool the syrup for a couple of minutes.

In a small saucepan, insert thermometer. Heat tahini on  medium heat until the thermometer reaches 120 degrees. Be very careful not to burn it.

Slowly add tahini to the hot sugar syrup. Mix it with a whisk until everything is combined. Add vanilla flavoring and chopped pistachios and mix again until the mixture starts to thicken.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the pan. Cover it with aluminum foil or cling wrap and leave it in the  refrigerator for thirty six  hours. Then take it out and cut into squares, roll into balls, and dust with powdered sugar.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 36 g
Servings per Recipe: 24
Calories: 153 Calories from Fat: 83
Total Fat: 9.2g, 14% of Daily Value**
Saturated Fat: 1.3g, 6% of Daily Value
Sodium: 17mg, 1% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 16.5g, 6% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 1.7g, 7% of Daily Value
Sugars 12.8g
Protein 3.1g

Vitamin A 1%

•

Vitamin C 1%

Calcium 7%

•

Iron 8%

* You can use plain water. Rosewater makes it awfully nice though. You can find it in better markets in the international foods aisles.
** Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Peanut Butter Miso Soup

Don't be put off by the idea of peanut butter and garlic. This is so good!

Ingredients
All quantities are approximate. Adjust to suit your taste.

1 cup water
1  tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon Gomasio*

Heat water til just simmering. Add remaining ingredients to a cup or a bowl, add water, and stir.
Optional: Garnish with chopped scallions or chives, add Thai red curry paste or Sriracha, toss in tofu or tempeh, add your favorite steamed vegetables, noodles, anything else you like.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 275 g
Servings per Recipe: 1
Calories: 138 Calories from Fat: 85
Total Fat: 9.5g, 15% of Daily Value**
Saturated Fat: 1.9g, 10% of Daily Value
Sodium: 797mg, 33% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 8.9g, 3% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 2.1g, 8% of Daily Value
Sugars 2.6g
Protein 6.4g

Vitamin A 0%

•

Vitamin C 2%

Calcium 4%

•

Iron 5%

* Japanese sesame seed and salt condiment
** Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Apricot Pie

Ingredients

1 recipe of Pie Crust
5 cups of fresh or frozen peeled and halved apricots
or 3 15 oz. cans of apricot halves
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour or cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons nondairy butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pie pan with half the dough. Prick the bottom with a fork, and place in freezer.

Toss fresh or frozen fruit with sugar, flour or cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt. If using canned fruit, drain, reserving 1/2 cup juice, and toss canned fruit with sugar, flour or cornstarch, lemon juice, reserved juice, and salt. Mix well and allow to sit and thicken for fifteen minutes.

Place fruit mixture into frozen pie crust. Dot surface with small pieces of nondairy butter, and cover with a pricked or vented top crust, or a lattice. Bake at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes. Slip a cookie sheet under the pie, reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and bake for another 25 to 35 minutes, until thick juices bubble through the vents. You may need to cover the edge with a pie crust ring or aluminum foil to keep it from burning.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 199 g
Servings per Recipe: 8

Calories: 512 Calories from Fat: 224
Total Fat: 24.9g, 38% of Daily Value*
Saturated Fat: 4g, 20% of Daily Value
Sodium: 649mg, 27% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 68.4g, 23% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 3.1g, 12% of Daily Value
Sugars 34.1g
Protein 6g

Vitamin A 59%	•	Vitamin C 19%
Calcium 3%	•	Iron 13%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Pie Crust

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup chilled no-trans-fat vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons cold nondairy butter
6 tablespoons ice water

Sift together flour and salt. Cut half the shortening and nondairy butter into the flour with a pastry blender, balloon whisk, or your fingertips til it has the consistency of cornmeal. Work quickly and lightly, as allowing the ingredients to become warm will make the crust tough instead of flaky. cut the remaining shortening and nondairy butter into mixture til it forms pea-sized particles.

Sprinkle the mixture with ice water and blend just til it sticks together. Divide the dough in half, and form into balls. Roll out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin into a roughly circular shape til it is about three inches larger in diameter than your pie pan.

To place the dough into the pan, roll it loosely around the rolling pin, place the rolling pin over the edge of the pan, and unroll, allowing the crust to sink into the pan. Gently coax the edges into the pan, trim, and chill before filling.

This recipe makes enough dough for two one-crust pies or one double-crust pie.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 66 g
Servings per Recipe: 8

Calories: 332 Calories from Fat: 195
Total Fat: 21.7g, 33% of Daily Value*
Saturated Fat: 3.5g, 18% of Daily Value
Sodium: 541mg, 23% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 30.1g, 10% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 1.1g, 4% of Daily Value
Protein 4.3g

Vitamin A 19%	•	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 1%	•	Iron 10%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Onion Soup

I had a bunch of onions I needed to use up. The quantities in this recipe are approximate.


Ingredients

8 red, white, or yellow onions
1/2 cup nondairy butter
3 quarts vegetable stock
2 tablespoons vegetable bouillon paste or powder
2 tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet
1 tablespoon smoked Spanish paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Peel and slice onions very finely, then stack the slices and quarter them. Add them to the melted butter, and saute over medium heat til soft and lightly golden. Add stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and add bouillon, Kitchen Bouquet, and paprika.  Allow to simmer for 30 minutes, then adjust seasonings if needed, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 25 g
Servings per Recipe: 8

Calories: 145 Calories from Fat: 103
Total Fat: 11.5g, 18% of Daily Value*
Saturated Fat: 1.9g, 10% of Daily Value
Sodium: 719mg, 30% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 10.4g, 3% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 1.9g, 7% of Daily Value
Sugars 4.7g
Protein 1.3g

Vitamin A 10%	•	Vitamin C 14%
Calcium 3%	•	Iron 1%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer*
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup nondairy butter
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons nondairy milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat your oven to 375º F. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using a wire balloon whisk or a blender, whip the egg replacer with the water in a separate bowl til it is thick and creamy. 

In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar. When using dairy butter, it is necessary to leave it out til it reaches room temperature. When using non dairy butter, it is best to keep it refrigerated til ready to use, and do not over beat. Cream the butters and sugar for one minute, then add the milk and the vanilla. Beat for another minute, and add the egg replacer mixture. Beat til blended.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one third at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Using a tablespoon, drop rounds of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet, leaving room between each to allow them to spread. You can flatten them with a fork, dip the bottom of a drinking glass into some granulated suger, and press the cookies, or make thumbprints in them and fill the thumbprints with jam.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, 15 minutes if you have filled them with jam, or until set and just beginning to go golden brown. Shorter cooking time yields a softer cookie. If you like your cookies well baked, use another cookie sheet under the sheet with the cookies on it. This will keep the bottoms of the cookies from burning when you want to leave them to bake longer.

Allow the cookies to rest on the pan for a few minutes, and then transfer them to racks to cool. Leaving them to cool on the pan with make them soggy.

While the number of cookies will depend on the size you make them, this recipe usually yields 24 cookies when I use a tablespoon to scoop them.

Nutrition Information 

Serving Size: One cookie
Servings per recipe: 24

Calories: 143                   Calories from fat: 71
                                                 
Total Fat: 7.9g, 12% of Daily Value**

Saturated Fat: 1.5g, 7% of Daily Value

Sodium: 157mg, 7% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 16.0g, 5% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 0.7g, 3% of Daily Value
Sugars: 8.1g
Protein: 3.0g

Vitamin A 3%	•	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 1%	•	Iron 3%

* In this recipe, egg serves as an emulsifier for the fat and sugar mixture, and a binder, to keep the cookies from melting and running all over the cookie sheet. You can buy Ener-G Egg Replacer, which is based on potato starch, or Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer, which is based on soy flour and algin, a gel derived from seaweed. Or you can simply use potato starch or soy flour. For this recipe, I used Ener-G. You can probably go ahead and use one egg if you aren't vegan, but I can't promise how the cookies will turn out if you do. Using an egg replacer makes these cookies cholesterol free and very low in saturated fat, depending on the source of fat used in your non dairy butter.

** Based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Ketchup. Or Catsup.

I ran out of ketchup, and I didn't feel like driving to town, so I found some tomato paste in the pantry and made some.

Ingredients

One 6 ounce can of tomato paste
Two to three tablespoons of vinegar
Two to three tablespoons of brown sugar
One teaspoon onion powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
Salt to taste
Water

Put the tomato paste in a small saucepan over low heat, and add wet and dry ingredients in increments, tasting after each addition til you like it. Add enough water to make it the consistency you prefer, remove from heat, and store in the refrigerator when cool. You can use regular paprika, but the smoked paprika makes this taste much better than ordinary ketchup. Even better than catsup.

Falafel

Ingredients
2 cups of dried chickpeas, soaked in water for 12 hours
Crumbs from 2 slices of  bread
5 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 small onion
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 teaspoon salt
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Wash the soaked chickpeas and put them in a food processor with the garlic, onion and spices. Grind until you get a rough moist texture. Add a little water if needed.

Place the mixture into a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients, except the baking soda, and put aside, covered, for 30-60 minutes.

Fill a saucepan with about an inch of cooking oil, like peanut oil, or another oil suitable for cooking at high temperatures. Heat at a medium to high setting on the burner, but do not allow the oil to smoke. Make sure it is hot enough to fry the falafel without the mixture disintegrating into a mush.

Add the baking soda to the falafel mixture and knead.

Wet your hands and shape the paste into little balls about the size of small apricots. Fry til golden brown, and drain on paper towels before serving. Serve inside pita pockets with plenty of lettuce, cucumber, and tomato, and drizzle with tahini.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 25 g
Servings per Recipe: 24

Calories: 107
Calories from Fat: 52
Total Fat: 5.9g, 9% of Daily Value*
Saturated Fat: 0.7g, 4% of Daily Value
Sodium: 33mg, 1% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 11.0g, 4% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 3.0g, 12% of Daily Value
Sugars 1.9g
Protein 3.4g

Vitamin A 2%	•	Vitamin C 3%
Calcium 2%	•	Iron 7%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Potato Latkes

Ingredients

2 medium potatoes
1/2 medium onion
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon soy flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon oil or margarine
A pinch of freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Sift dry ingredients together, add water, and beat with a balloon whisk til smooth.  Mince the onion, and add to batter. Grate the potatoes into the mixture, and stir.

Heat a saucepan over medium to low heat, add oil or margarine, and spoon batter onto pan. Flatten the patties lightly, cover the pan, and allow to brown very slowly, to ensure the potatoes are cooked thoroughly. Flip when golden brown on the bottom and cook til done, leaving the pan uncovered. Serve with apple sauce.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 87g
Servings per Recipe: 6

Calories: 86
Calories from Fat: 22
Total Fat: 2.4g, 4% of Daily Value*
Saturated Fat: 0g, 0% of Daily Value
Sodium: 102mg, 4% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 14.5g, 5% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 2.0g, 8% of Daily Value
Sugars 1.4g
Protein 2.og

Vitamin A 0%	•	Vitamin C 24%
Calcium 3%	•	Iron 3%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

No Bake Cherry Lime Cheezecake

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese substitute *
1 cup cream substitute **
1 cup sugar
1/2 c lime juice
Grated rind of three limes
1 tbsp agar***
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp flour
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 pre-made graham cracker or shortbread pie crust


Put the water, 1/4 cup lime juice, and the agar in a pan, and allow the agar to soak.

Add the cheese, remaining lime juice, and cream to a blender or food processor, and blend. Add the sugar and the grated lime peel, and blend again.

Melt the margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the flour, stirring all the while, to make a roux. Add the cheese mixture while still stirring, and reduce heat to low. Bring the softened agar to a boil, simmer til the agar is dissolved, and add to the cheese mixture. Continue to stir while mixture is on low heat, for about 5 minutes.

Pour mixture into prepared pie crust or tart shells, and allow to thicken. Refrigerate. I used a shortbread crust, but you could also use a pre-baked pie crust. Spoon cherry pie filling on top of slices before serving.

* I used Tofutti. It can be found at Safeway and Raleys. Other brands can be found at Whole Foods Markets.

** I used unsweetened MimicCreme. There really is nothing else like it on the market.  You can find it at Raleys and Whole Foods Markets.

*** Agar is used as a texturizing agent, emulsifier, stabilizing agent  and thickener in ice cream, sherbets, jellies, soups, sauces, and canned soups. It is used as a clarifying agent in winemaking and brewing, to fill the pores in cloth and paper manufacturing ('sizing'), as a  medium for growing bacteria; in dentistry and cosmetics; film and adhesives. It  is prepared from several species of red algae (or seaweed). It is a vegetable gelatin, and is therefore used by vegetarians because true gelatin is made from calf's feet. You can find it online, at your local health food store, or Whole Foods Markets.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: 124 g
Servings per Recipe: 12

Calories: 276
Calories from Fat: 81
Total Fat: 9.0g, 14% of Daily Value****
Saturated Fat: 1.8g, 9% of Daily Value
Sodium: 148mg, 6% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 47.2g, 16% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 0.9g, 4% of Daily Value
Sugars 24.7g
Protein 3.2g

Vitamin A 7%	•	Vitamin C 8%
Calcium 5%	•	Iron 6%

**** Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

4 1/2 teaspoons egg replacer*
          (equivalent of 3 eggs)
6 tablespoons water
1 cup non dairy butter
1 teaspoon liquid lecithin**
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375º F. Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using a wire balloon whisk or a blender, whip the egg replacer with the water in a separate bowl til it is thick and creamy. 

In a large bowl, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. When using dairy butter, it is necessary to leave it out til it reaches room temperature. When using non dairy butter, it is best to keep it refrigerated til ready to use, and do not over beat. Cream the butter and sugars for one minute, then add the lecithin and the vanilla. Beat for another minute, and add the egg replacer mixture. Beat til blended.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, one third at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Using two soup spoons from your set of tableware, drop a spoonful of cookie dough at a time onto the cookie sheet, leaving room between each to allow them to spread while baking. Simply spoon up a small ball of cookie dough with one soup spoon, and scrape it off the spoon and onto the cookie sheet with the back of the other soup spoon. You can also use your finger to scrape the cookie dough off the spoon and onto the sheet.

Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Shorter cooking time yields a softer cookie. If you like your cookies well baked, use another cookie sheet under the sheet with the cookies on it. This will keep the bottoms of the cookies from burning when you want to leave them to bake longer.

Allow the cookies to rest on the pan for a few minutes, and then transfer them to racks to cool. Leaving them to cool on the pan with make them soggy.

While the number of cookies will depend on the size you make them, this recipe usually yields 24 cookies when I use a soup spoon to scoop them.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size: One cookie
Servings per recipe: 24

Calories: 187                   Calories from fat: 88
                                                 
Total Fat: 9.8g, 15% of Daily Value***

Saturated Fat: 2.7g, 14% of Daily Value

Sodium: 245mg, 10% of Daily Value
Total Carbohydrates: 23.0g, 8% of Daily Value
Dietary Fiber: 0.6g, 2% of Daily Value
Sugars: 14.4g
Protein: 1.9g

Vitamin A 7%	•	Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 2%	•	Iron 4%

* In this recipe, eggs serve as an emulsifier for the fat and sugar mixture, and a binder, to keep the cookies from melting and running all over the cookie sheet. You can buy Ener-G Egg Replacer, which is based on potato starch, or Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer, which is based on soy flour and algin, a gel derived from seaweed. Or you can simply use potato starch or soy flour. For this recipe, I prefer Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer. You can probably go ahead and use three eggs if you aren't vegan, but I can't promise how the cookies will turn out if you do. Using an egg replacer makes these cookies cholesterol free and very low in saturated fat, depending on the source of fat used in your non dairy butter and chocolate chips.

** Liquid lecithin is optional in this recipe, but it acts as an emulsifier in the sugar fat mixture, and adds a richer golden brown color to the finished product. It is derived from soybeans and can be found in health food stores, or the natural foods and supplements aisles of better supermarkets. Lecithin is an important nutrient in fat metabolism, and promotes the production and flow of healthy bile.

*** Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Savory Breakfast Hash

Ingredients

3  large unpeeled russet potatoes, baked, cooled, and coarsely chopped
1-1/2 lbs. firm tofu, mashed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup corn kernels
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Paprika

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

In a large bowl, mix together the potatoes, tofu, and soy sauce. In a saucepan, sauté the onion over medium heat in the oil until translucent. Add bell pepper and corn kernels and saute til tender. Add garlic and cook very briefly. Do not allow garlic to burn.

Add the onion and bell pepper mixture to the potatoes and tofu, and add the parsley, basil, and black pepper. Spread into an oiled 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with paprika and bake for 35 minutes. Or, divide into individual servings and freeze before baking, removing a serving the night before to allow it to thaw, and baking it in the morning. Makes eight servings.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size 173 g
Servings per Recipe: 8

Calories: 181
Calories from Fat:40
Total Fat: 4.5g, 7% of Daily Value*
Saturated Fat: 0.8g, 4% of Daily Value

Sodium: 245mg, 10% of Daily Value

Total Carbohydrates: 29.2g, 10% of Daily Value

Dietary Fiber: 5g, 20% of Daily Value

Sugars: 3.8g

Protein: 8.2g

Vitamin A 13%	•	Vitamin C 84%
Calcium 14%	•	Iron 11%

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Basic Equipment

Every good cook needs a few basic tools. Assuming your kitchen already has a stove top and an oven, here is a list of utensils and appliances you really can't do without.

 Mixing bowls. I prefer stainless steel, crockery,  or glass to plastic. Plastic will absorb strong odors and flavors over time. If you can't afford a set of nested mixing bowls, get the largest one you can find.

Measuring cups. If you only want one, a sixteen ounce glass measuring cup like the Pyrex pictured here will be the most versatile. You can also get these in eight ounce sizes.



For more precise measuring of dry ingredients when baking, a set of nested stainless steel measuring cups is preferred. Dry ingredients are sifted into these utensils and leveled off with a knife or spatula. This is difficult to impossible when  using a graduated glass measuring cup.

You will also need measuring spoons. These come in sets, with one tablespoon being the largest in the set and 1/4 teaspoon being the smallest. It's also nice, especially if you are cooking for one and need to halve or quarter a recipe, to get a set of mini measuring spoons.

You will find many uses for a basic set of wooden spoons and rubber or silicone spatulas.

You will also want a metal spatula or two for things like flipping pancakes or grilled foods, or transferring cookies from cookie sheets to cooling racks.



A wire balloon whisk is a really good utensil to have. It makes quick work of mixing simple batters for

things like pancakes, crepes, or fritters. It can also double as a potato masher if you get one with stiffer wire. They are essential for making cold or hot emulsions like mayonnaise, gravy, or simple white sauce, and with enough elbow grease, you can whip cream, just like people used to do before electricity was discovered.

It goes without saying that you ought to have a basic set of sauce and saute pans. Don't skimp on quality here. A good set of cooking pans will last a lifetime if properly used and cared for. The material from which
they are made is a matter of personal preference. Some people like stainless steel, others like copper, enameled cast iron, or non-stick anodized aluminum. Just be sure your pots have heavy bases, so that heat will be distributed evenly and food will be less likely to be burned. When choosing a set, make sure they offer
a double boiler set, preferably with a steamer basket insert. You will want a double boiler for messing around with chocolate or delicate sauces that are easily scorched in pots that are in direct contact with heat. And the steamer insert is very convenient for steaming vegetables or leftovers, especially if you don't have or want a microwave. Stale bread can also be freshened with steam.

In addition to your cooking pots you will want a colander for draining boiled foods like vegetables or pasta...

and maybe a smaller mesh strainer for draining finer foods or removing pulp from liquids.


A good set of knives is also essential. If you can't manage to acquire a whole set in one purchase,

you should make sure to start with a large chef's knife, a serrated bread knife, and a small paring knife. A Chinese cleaver is good to have for smashing food that needs to be finely minced. Lay something like garlic cloves on your cutting board, place the flat of the blade on top, and pound with your fist. Then proceed to mince.
If you can afford a good one, a mandoline is a wonderful tool to own. I really love mine.  You can shave paper thin slices of tomato, cucumber, and onion for salads or sandwiches, and it is easy to slice any vegetable to be added to a stir fry or other dish where the thickness needs to be uniform in order to ensure even cooking.

Baking Equipment

If you are interested in baking, there are a few items you will need in addition to those listed in the Basic Equipment post.
Get yourself an oven thermometer. Ovens can't always be relied upon to have accurate temperature gauges, and while a variation of a few degrees won't have much impact on baking a potato, if the heat is too low, your cakes and breads won't rise, and if it is too high, your cookies will burn.

You will also want to ensure that your range is level. Ranges have adjustable feet that can be screwed in or out, so check that your range is level with a simple spirit level you can find at any hardware store. I used to have to time my baking with the tides when I lived on my houseboat, as the vessel would rest on the mud at low tide at enough of an angle to create some very interesting cakes. A kitchen timer might be handy as well, if you are going to be out of earshot of the timer on your range when your food will be done cooking.

For mixing simple batters, a hand held egg beater might be all you need for

anything you can't do with
the balloon whisk. This tool does a fine job with most pancake, cake, muffin, or quickbread batters that don't need lots of whipping.


If you are going to be trying to whip creams or gels, or attempt recipes that require fat and sugar to be creamed at high speeds for several minutes, you will probably want a mixer.

I definitely recommend the KitchenAid line of stand mixers. I've got my grandmother's old one, which looks like the one pictured at the left, only mine is white. I prefer the glass bowl. I was fortunate to find another glass bowl and a set of accessories my grandmother didn't have at the Hornitos Flea Market.
Granted, mine is older than I am, and was manufactured for the KitchenAid line by Hobart, which supply professional bakeries with equipment, so that may be why it has been so reliable. KitchenAid mixers are no longer manufactured by Hobart, so you might want to call KitchenAid and make sure the model you are interested in is all metal construction.

Though you can use a wire mesh strainer for sifting flour, having a flour sifter makes sifting flour before measuring a simple task. Get one with a sixteen ounce capacity, which will allow plenty of room for sifting all the dry ingredients in a recipe when the recipe calls for it. Don't wash this tool when it is full of flour. The flour will turn to glue and clog the wire mesh. Brush all the remaining flour out with a pastry brush, and rinse it very well.

You will want a pastry board for kneading bread dough or rolling out cookie dough, pizza dough, or pie crust. Get one at least 2' x 2' so you will have plenty of room for kneading or rolling. You can choose from marble or hardwood.

Get your self a rolling pin too. I prefer a wooden one of solid construction, rather than the wooden or marble types with a rotating spindle in the center. A solid wood rolling pin can be used to pound stiff dough or break apart frozen fruits or vegetables that have stuck together in a solid block without any damage to the rolling pin.

You will also need a few muffin or cupcake tins, cookie sheets, bread, cake, and pie pans, and racks to set your baked goods on after they are removed from the oven.

Get yourself some oven mitts so you don't burn your hands when removing baked goods from the oven. You may think you can get away with using a dishtowel, but you will be surprised at how quickly heat will transfer from something fresh out of a 400 degree F oven through the towel to your hands.

Toothpicks and wooden skewers are good to have on hand to test the doneness of cakes and breads. Paper cupcake liners, pre-cut rounds of parchment paper cake pan liners, and rolls of parchment paper that can be cut to fit your cookie sheets make removing your baked goods from their pans foolproof, and make cleaning up simpler too.